


Testing a Theory

by iduna



Series: Whose Stupid Idea Was This, Anyway? [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anger, Arguing, Cassandra is a Good Friend, Cullen Drinks Whisky, F/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 16:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18782005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iduna/pseuds/iduna
Summary: Carys gets mad. Cullen makes a confession to Cassandra.





	Testing a Theory

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while since I posted the goings on in Carys' world. I'm still here. Big Thanks to my Beta, IncreasingLight. She's amazing.

“Why won’t you listen to reason?” Cullen yelled.

Slamming her hands on the table and leaning forward, Carys yelled right back. “Seriously, Commander? You think that because I don’t agree with you, that it must be because I’m not listening? That’s your opinion? Should I always think the same thing as you, or does that nugshit only apply if you’re a fucking Templar talking to a mage?”

Carys stood up and turned away from the table. Walking to the corner, she rubbed her hands on her fact. Since returning from Redcliffe, the arguing about the issue had been non-stop. What she wanted, _all_ she wanted right now, was a cup of tea and 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It was clear that she was going to get neither of those things, and she was irritated.

She missed the days when they just told her what to do and she did it. Things were simpler then. The irony wasn’t lost on her, of course. She hated being told what to do but trying to get this stubborn, druffalo headed Templar to hear anything past his own prejudices was… frustrating.

All four of the Inquisition’s leaders stood around the table in silence. In a way, this was a failure of theirs. They were evenly split on what to do next. Cullen and Josephine were firmly in the “go get the Templars” camp, with Leliana and Cassandra wanting to go back to Redcliffe and get the mages. Carys was going to have to break the tie, and she didn’t want to make the decision.

The arguments had been going on for days at this point, with Cullen and Carys doing nothing but snarling at each other. Something had to change.

“Herald,” Josie said quietly. “If I may ask a question…”

Carys turned to face the Antivan. “Of course, Ambassador. What do you want to know?”

“You’ve said that you don’t believe that the Templars can help with the Breach. Is that correct?

Carys took a deep breath before she simply said, “Yes.”

Cullen immediately started in. “I was a Templar, I know what they can…”

Josephine held up her hand and waited silently for the Commander to stop speaking. “Yes, Commander, we understand that. What we don’t understand, or at least I don’t understand, is why the Herald disagrees with you.” She stopped for a moment before looking directly at Cullen. “In order to make an informed decision, I’d like to hear a mage’s thoughts as to why she believes you are incorrect.” With a nod to Leliana and Cassandra she added, “If you don’t mind, of course.”

Leliana smiled. “I think that’s an excellent idea, Josie. Carys, would you mind explaining?”

“I… of course.” Carys began pacing in front of the table, trying to collect her thoughts. It’s a problem that she’d thought about a lot, but she’d never tried to put into words. She knew that the Commander wasn’t going to like it, but she was out of choices.

“I don’t believe that the Templars can affect the Breach like the Commander thinks they can.”

“Of course we…” he started.

Cassandra snapped back. “Cullen! I don’t believe she’s finished. This is not the Circle of Magi. She has the right to be heard!”

The Commander immediately looked ashamed of himself. “Of course, Cassandra.” Looking at Carys he continued. “I apologize, Herald. The Seeker is right, of course. Please go on.”

Carys wanted to walk out of that room and never return. Only the small smile of encouragement from Cassandra kept her there.

“The Breach is a portal to the Fade, for lack of a better term, and so it’s magical in nature,” she began.  “It’s not like any other type of magic I’ve encountered. It’s almost tainted, for lack of a better word. It’s not pure Fade magic.”

“Are you talking about Blood Magic?” Cullen asked, alarmed.

“Blood magic… Blight magic… Some combination of the two, or something we don’t know about yet.” Carys stammered, “I—I just don’t know. I do know that it doesn’t feel right.” Running her hands through her hair, she tried to explain. “I have never been around blood magic, or blight magic for that matter, so I don’t know how they feel. The Breach, the rifts, they feel wrong… Painful, it’s painful.”

Walking over to the mage, Cassandra said, “You told me that there wasn’t anymore pain. That wasn’t the truth?”

“Yes and no, Seeker. I’m sorry. There is discomfort when a rift is near, and, well, yes, it hurts to close them, but…” Carys shook her head. “I didn’t mean to lie, but there isn’t anything to do about it, so any of you worrying about the pain was pointless.”

“My Lady, the pain is all the more reason for us to go get the Templars. If…”

Carys lashed out. “Commander, please… Have you even TRIED to suppress the magic of the Breach?”

Looking confused, Cullen answered. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand.”

Carys placed her hands on the table in front of him, and leaned forward, confronting him. Speaking slowly, as if she were speaking a different language, she said, “Have you taken your Templars to a rift and tried to suppress it’s magic?  Have you used a Dispel, or tried to Silence it?  Have you tested your theory on anything, or is this a hypothetical you’ve come up with because you’re terrified of mages? Are you risking my life on some arrogant Templar assumption, or do you know this will work?”

Cullen blinked in surprise.

“You haven’t, have you? It never even occurred to you to test your theory, did it? I’m just a mage, and if I die trying to close that monster in the sky, it’s no big deal to you. So long as you don’t have to spend more time around mages, it’s all fucking good to you, isn’t it?” She turned and walked toward the door, turning only once she reached it. “I am probably going to die closing that fucker, and I made my peace with it long ago, but when I do, I want to make sure it’s actually closed. We know that magic affects it. We don’t know if Templar powers do. Asking the mages for help is the surer way, and it’s the one I recommend.” She opened the door and took a step through it before turning back. “You people need to make a damn decision. Let me know when you do.”

She closed the door after her, very softly indeed.

 

Cullen was trying to read reports when Cassandra entered the Command tent outside of Haven. “Do you have a moment?”

“Of course,” he said, rising to his feet. “What can I do for you?”

 “I was concerned about you. You were upset during the meeting, and Carys said some rather unkind things. I wanted to make sure you were all right.” She said, more gently than usual.

“She wasn’t unkind, Cassandra. She was…” Cullen rubbed his neck as he searched for a word. “Blunt.” He finally finished. “She was blunt.”

Cassandra smiled. “Hammers are blunt, and they can also hurt.”

He stopped trying to look like he was working and looked at the woman in front of him. “You have a point, as did she.” He took a bottle and two mugs out of a basket and poured amber liquid into each. Offering her one, he took a sip from the other. “It didn’t occur to me that there was a way to test my belief that the Templars could suppress the magic, and I certainly didn’t think about asking her about the rifts. I should have. I should have thought of these things. Perhaps it was arrogance that made me think I had all the answers without all the information, I don’t know. But I was wrong.” He gave a bitter chuckle and took another sip of whisky. “I have tried so hard to leave that life behind, and no matter how far I think I’ve come, it’s not far enough. Is it?”

“You have come far, Cullen. Never doubt that.”

“Did you know that, before you all went to Redcliffe, I was ill?” He asked.

“No, she didn’t say. What happened?”

“There isn’t much to tell, really.” He poured another finger into his glass. “I was sick. She found me. I threw up on her shoes, and she stayed to take care of me.”

 As Cassandra handed her glass to Cullen, she said, “That wasn’t all, was it?”

“Yes, it was. Oh, she was herself, of course. She scolded me for getting sick. She made more that a few jokes, but there wasn’t anything unkind about it. She made sure I ate, she gave me something for the headache and the sickness… She and Rylen talked about my lack of ability to care for myself.”

“That does,” Cassandra said, “Sound like her.”

“She then got out some sort of oil and massaged my shoulders and back until I fell asleep. It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had since I stopped taking the lyrium. I…”

A big smile appeared on Cassandra’s face. “You care for her.”

“Yes,” he said solemnly, the lines deepening around his eyes while he admitted it. “I have for a while. I… I know that it’s not appropriate, and I’ve tried to push it aside, but I can’t.”

His friend smiled. “Why should you? Despite what you were taught, there is nothing wrong with caring for someone. I fell in love once. His name was Regalyan. He too was a mage. He died at the Conclave.”

He reached across the table to take her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“There is no need, Cullen.” She smiled at the memory of her first love. “It’s been a long time since we were lovers, but we were still good friends. He was, in many ways, one of the reasons I left the Seekers. I saw things differently because of him. I became less… rigid in my beliefs.” She made a disgusted noise.  “I have no gift for words. What I am saying badly, is that love and caring is never inappropriate. There are ways that are better than others to show that love, but the feeling itself is good. It should be celebrated.” She placed her hand on top of the hand holding hers.

“I cannot say how she feels. Carys is somewhat difficult. She is afraid and angry, and I cannot say I blame her for that. If you care for her, find ways to let her know. You may see that there is common ground upon which to build.” 

Cullen took another drink before responding. “It’s not as simple as that, Cassandra. To her, I will always be a Templar.”

“Perhaps, Cullen. Perhaps not. You don’t know until you try. She’s a good woman and you both deserve to be happy.” Cassandra stood up and Cullen followed her. Standing at the door of the tent she turned, took Cullen’s hand and squeezed it.  “The opportunity to love does not come very often, my friend. Do not squander that chance needlessly.”

**Author's Note:**

> This touches on a theory I have about the Breach and the magic involved. I will elaborate more later, but if you really want to hear now, you know what you gotta do. Give me the comments and Kudos or you'll have to wait. It's sad that I have to take hostages, but I'm getting desperate.


End file.
